I don't object to the docs trying to bridge the distance here, but it feels pretty much like a "Bridge to Nowhere" since none of the information that a developer trying to use format pictures to build calendars would need to get conceptually to the shortest day names is actually there.

The reference there feels wrong -- like if they weren't going to explain the conceptual difference, then why mention it?

As it stands, an otherwise useful topic has this weird inserted bit.

I'd recommend taking it out -- the insert is weird and badly placed and awkward. We are forced to look past it since it doesn't really do anything useful for us....

My vote? Take it out completely -- it has nothing to do with format pictures; why pretend otherwise?

Simon Buchan on 8 Feb 2012 11:27 AM:

It's fairly common to read documentation backwards - imagine someone not reading this to see how to use format strings to get at the LOCAL_S* values, but someone trying to figure out how to get the values behind the format strings directly.